An MEP has changed his name to Skate in a bid to draw attention to the plight of Britain's fisheries industry.

Conservative Edward McMillan-Skate, MEP for Yorkshire and Humberside, has produced a guide listing 40 species of endangered fish.

He fears that unless something is done to preserve stocks hundreds of jobs are at risk.

And he called on Prime Minister Tony Blair to help save British fish stocks from the EU.

The fish card was launched at the Tory conference in Bournemouth today, when the party debated its EU policy.

''My card says, 'Cherish fish or it will disappear' in the main EU languages.'' said Mr McMillan-Skate, whose Euro-constituency coastline stretches from Whitby to Grimsby.

He went on: ''Skate is extinct in the North Sea - once the world's best fishing grounds - and cod is down by 50%. It is time to get tough or get out.''

The Common Fisheries Policy is undergoing a major overhaul in a bid to reverse a drastic decline in fish stocks which 20 years of conservation measures have failed to halt.

Fisherman have been told year after year to tighten their belts, on the promise of revived fortunes soon.

But now the Brussels Commission is seeking more swingeing cuts in fish catches and the laying up of boats in an attempt to get to grips with the crisis.

The WorldWide Fund for Nature says ''all major fish stocks are now threatened'' as 40 out of 60 species in British waters are being fished unsustainably.

Mr McMillan-Skate's Fish Card lists 40 species in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish and is being despatched to all EU fisheries ministers, European Commissioners and Euro-MPs.

Labour MP Austin Mitchell last week changed his name to ''haddock'' to mark National Seafood Week.